Acapulco Open 2020 Quarterfinal Preview: Top seed Nadal on course for 3rd title, Fritz looks to end Edmund's hot streak

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Top seed Rafael Nadal remained on course for a third Acapulco title and a chance to reclaim the world no. 1 ranking from Novak Djokovic after seeing off young Serb Miomir Kecmanovic in straight sets to reach the quarterfinals.

The Spaniard, who squandered a match point in a second-round loss to eventual champion Nick Kyrgios last year, will displace Djokovic at the top of the rankings if he goes all the way in Acapulco and the 8-time Australian Open champion fails to reach the Dubai semifinals.

In other key second-round matches, 2014 champion Grigor Dimitrov saved two match points before downing Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in a third set tiebreak, while young American Tommy Paul beat last year's finalist Alexander Zverev to set up a last-8 clash with compatriot John Isner.

Elsewhere, Kyle Edmund extended his win streak to 7 matches as the newly crowned New York Open champion saw off Montpellier and Rotterdam finalist Felix Auger Aliassime while Stanislas Wawrinka remains on course for a semifinal showdown with Nadal by beating Spaniard Pedro Martinez Portero.

On that note, let us have a look at the quarterfinal line-up at the 2020 Acapulco Open.

Quarterfinal 1: (1) Rafael Nadal vs Soonwoo Kwon

Nadal will take on Kwon for the very first time

Top seed Nadal has looked imperious in his first tournament since a quarterfinal exit at the 2020 Australian Open.

The Spaniard defeated compatriot Pablo Andujar and Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic without the loss of a set to move into the Acapulco quarterfinals where he will face up-and-coming South Korean Soonwoo Kwon, who got the better of Taro Daniel and Dusan Lajovic respectively in his first two matches.

Kwon is the 283rd different player Nadal will face on tour. In as ign of the Spaniard's dominance on tour, he has lost to 198 of those opponents and barring a minor miracle, it is tough to see Kwon getting the better of the 19-time Slam champion.

Quarterfinal 2: (3) Stanislas Wawrinka vs (7) Grigor Dimitrov

Wawrinka (left) takes on Dimitrov for a place in the Acapulco semifinals

In a meeting between players with similar game styles, Stanislas Wawrinka takes on 2014 winner Grigor Dimitrov for a place in the Acapulco semifinals.

Wawrinka leads the pair's head to head 7-4, with the Swiss winning 4 of the last 5 hardcourt meetings between the two, including their most recent meeting at the first round of the 2019 Cincinnati Masters.

While Wawrinka has moved to the last eight without dropping a set, Dimitrov needed to stave off two match points against France's Adrian Mannarino to seal his place in the quarterfinals. Coming into Acapulco, Dimitrov had won 4 and lost 4 of his 8 matches in 2020 while Wawrinka is 6-2 for the season.

Considering the consistency shown by Wawrinka this season, this contest is likely to go the three-time Grand Slam champion's way.

However, Dimitrov should not be underestimated. The 28-year-old Bulgarian defied his indifferent form in 2019 and his 0-7 head to head record against five-time champion Roger Federer to reach his first US Open semifinal last year.

Ultimately, the battle between the single-handers could go the distance.

Quarterfinal 3: Taylor Fritz vs Kyle Edmund

Taylor Fritz

American Taylor Fritz beat Kyle Edmund in the 2019 Eastbourne semifinals en route to his first career singles title. It remains the pair's only tour-level meeting as the duo prepare to renew acquaintances in the quarterfinals of the 2020 Acapulco Open.

Edmund is the in-form player, enjoying a career-best 7-match win-streak following his title run at the New York Open and his two match wins at the Acapulco Open. Fritz, on the other hand, had lost 5 of his 8 matches coming into Acapulco but has found some form here, beating John Millman and Ugo Humber to reach his first quarterfinal of the season.

Despite Fritz winning the pair's only previous meeting last season, Edmund looks primed to restore parity in the pair's head to head rivalry.

Quarterfinal 4: (5) John Isner vs Tommy Paul

Tommy Paul

Young American Tommy Paul has flown under the radar, but he comprehensively defeated Daniel Elahi Galan and Alexander Zverev to reach his first ATP 500 quarterfinal in Acapulco.

For a place in the last four, Paul will take on compatriot John Isner who has not dropped a set en route to the quarterfinals. Isner won the pair's lone tour-level meeting in the second round of the 2017 Cincinnati Masters.

Isner lost to eventual winner Nick Kyrgios in a third-set tiebreak in the semifinals last year and looks good to repeat his run to the last 4 at the expense of his younger compatriot.